Washington’s softball team was not at all happy with their seeding in the NCAA Tournament.
Sunday marked the NCAA Tournament selection show for softball. The Huskies went 41-11 in the regular season, finished second in the extremely difficult Pac-12 at 18-5, but got seeded No. 16. That puts them in line to visit No. 1 Oklahoma in the Super Regional should both schools advance.
Take a look at Washington’s reaction to their seeding:
This was absolutely justifiable. Glad they walked out. Total disrespect from the committee. pic.twitter.com/nYkeu4Y0ON
— Aaron Levine (@AaronQ13Fox) May 17, 2021
Yeah, they were not happy.
Despite their strong Pac-12 record, Washington was actually ranked No. 16 in the RPI. However, Arizona and Arizona State both were seeded higher in the NCAA Tournament despite having worse overall and conference records. Washington was also No. 5 in the latest coaches poll.
Oregon got snubbed even more. Despite finishing third in the Pac-12 and No. 15 in the RPI, the Ducks did not even get a top 16 seed. They will have to visit their former coach Mike White in the Texas regional. It’s hard not to wonder whether the state of Oregon’s restrictive fan policy played a role in the snub as a possible regional host.
UCLA’s coach Kelly Inouye-Perez says she couldn’t believe how the Pac-12 was snubbed.
UCLA's Kelly Inouye-Perez says she's "shocked" and "very disappointed" by seeding of Pac-12 teams.
— James Crepea (@JamesCrepea) May 17, 2021
Kentucky, meanwhile, got to host a regional as the No. 14 seed. The Wildcats were only No. 18 in the RPI and finished tied for fifth in the tough and deep SEC.
The tournament did Washington no favors. But the Huskies do have one of the best pitchers in the country in Gabbie Plain. If she handles most of the innings in the postseason and is on top of her game, the Huskies will be able to compete with anybody, including Oklahoma.
